Ask Harp Tech Expert Kinya Pollard

I'm sorry Kinya if my question is a little dumb lol but I can't seem to find out anywhere if you're using mm or in for the mesurements in your sample reed calibration pdf you have on the reed gapping page of your lessons.

Hello Kinya,

So, I've played the Marine Band, Suzuki Manji, Special 20 and most recently the Rocket. While I really like the Rocket, I just haven't taken to the larger holes and find that they make tongueblocking a bit more difficult for me. I do, however, like the rounded corners and the more open back. So, I've started thinking about customizing my SP20s. My questions are as follows:

1. Rounding the Corners: How best to round the corners? I've read elsehwere that 300 grit sandpaper will do it. Is this even a good idea or are there downsides? continue reading...

Hiya Kinya,

So I have this situation. I bought a manji a few weeks ago and it had a bad reed so I exchanged it for a crossover and now because I'm hard headed I bought another manji ( yay no bad reeds)  BUT I can't seem to figure out this 3rd reed.

So to put you into perspective I've gone over your tutorials for reed gapping several times but I haven't tried it on any harps yet for fear of 'breaking' them. But when I bought this manji in the key of D I quickly realised it needed some adjustment. continue reading...

Once again your exemplery videos have inspirid me to explore new realms in my harpin' experience. :)

I would like your honest opinion of the Sjoberg tuner. I know there are several models. Which one did you demo and use?

After watching your series of videos my interest and curiosity about the device was piqued. I would be using it primarily on my Hohner Special 20s as well as some Bluesbands (just to practice on). I also have a few Suzuki Manjis but they are not my main stays like the 20s. continue reading...

Hello Harp Techs, how many of you have encountered this event:

After sizing (aka: burnishing, embossing) the reed plate slots for increased compression/playability, you then secure the finished reed plates back onto the comb, only to discover (wasn’t there before) annoying “clicking” noises on blow reeds #1 and #2?  continue reading...

As a relative newbie ( and a newly retired guy) I have the time and interesst to take care of the simple basic maintenance things that may come up from my daily practicing on my Special 20s. I did follow your advance for cleaning and got the Micromark Ultrasonic Cleaner and Eurosonic solution. I also got the 2 correct screw drivers necessary to open them up for cleaning in the US device. Are there any other basic tools that might address the simple issues I will bump into as I head down the harmonica road? continue reading...

Kinya,

Hope all is well. David suggested I contact you.

I got a tuner app called Soundcorset and used it to compare the 4 blow on my three A harps. I tested each by closing my eyes and playing each harp 3 times in order to ensure a fair reading. Each was somewhat off. I’ve emailed screenshots of the three results to David as I can't seem to figure out how to post in this forum. If you can't get them from David, let me know where I can email thenm to you. continue reading...

Hiya Kinya,

So I was going to order a marineband 364 but my local shop tells me it's a 3 month wait minimum so I was sitting in front of my desk yesterday and it hit me; 3 months is longer than the wait I have for my custom harp I ordered from sugar cain so I'll just find a echo super vamper used on ebay that still has nice cover plates, get a custom comb and order a set of reed plates from a custom guy like sugar cain or something along those lines. continue reading...

Hi Kinya, I am gapping a kongshen "ting harp". I am am getting decent over blows and over draws except for over draw on hole 9 which , after the note engages, starts to warble as if it was hitting the slot but when I push the reed through the slot it passes with out hitting anything and I hear no clicking. Would this have something to do with reed shaping? It does not happen when Iplay the reed with the plates removed. thanks, Joshua Kuhl

Hi Kinya,

I bought a set of Hohner Special 20 harmonicas in December. I had first started lessons on my C harmonica and then switched to David Barrett's lessons about a month ago and switched to using my A harmonica.

When I draw on hole 4 and 1 together, they sound quite out of tune. The 'app', Harmonic Tuner tells me that:

1 draw = 250 Hz and 4 draw = 488 Hz.

When I check my other harmonicas (G, C, D and E), they all sound fine. (i.e. the 1 and 4 draw together sound harmonic)

What should I do?

Thanks!

Toby